1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to boats, and more specifically to a novel apparatus to assist a fisherman using a push pole to propel a boat across the surface of a water body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One of the best ways to approach and catch fish on shallow water flats is to use a push pole. The push pole is used to propel the boat quietly from the transom of the boat using manual labor. The length of the pole is generally around twenty feet but can vary depending on the depth of water, the user's personal preference, and the boat setup, among other things. In use, the fisherman stands on an elevated platform at the transom of the boat and inserts the lower end of the pole into the water until the foot of the pole contacts the bottom. The fisherman firmly grasps an upper portion of the pole as the foot of the pole remains stationary and the fisherman uses the pole to push away from the bottom causing the boat to thrust forward. The user's hands slide up the pole as the boat moves forward. This process is repeated continuously to move the boat across the water. Accordingly, it takes a significant amount of energy and becomes tiresome to the fisherman.
There have been attempts to improve push poles to reduce the amount of energy expended by a fisherman. By way of example, note U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0202756 to Hardwick that discloses a power push pole that includes a drive wheel. The drive wheel is at the lower end of the pole and is operated by a switch on the handle of the pole so that the drive wheel can be turned off and on. The fisherman lowers the drive wheel in the water until it is resting on the bottom. An electrical motor attached to the drive wheel is switched on causing the drive wheel to rotate and propel the boat forward. A shortcoming of this prior art is that the motor is in the water causing vibrations that will scare fish away. Another shortcoming is that the device cannot be used with any pole but requires a specially made pole. Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a push pole device that assists a fisherman in poling a boat that can be used with any existing pole and easily adapted for use with a boat.
It is, therefore, to the effective resolution of the aforementioned problems and shortcomings of the prior art that the present invention is directed.
However, in view of the prior art at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art how the identified needs could be fulfilled.